David Zucker, co-creator of such iconic comedy films as The Naked Gun and Airplane!, is reportedly in the process of developing a new spoof movie titled Star of Malta. Zucker and his brother, Jerry, are prominent figures within the world of spoof movies, having earned a reputation for making some of the funniest films in Hollywood. Their writing style falls in line with the traditions initially pioneered by legendary filmmakers like Mel Brooks, taking established Hollywood tropes and subverting them with nonsequiturs and surreal slapstick gags to great comedic effect.
The brothers, along with their frequent collaborator, Jim Abrahams, first rose to popularity in 1977 with their independently produced classic, Kentucky Fried Movie. Following the success of their sophomore film, Airplane!, in 1980, the trio created the short-lived TV series Police Squad! which was later retooled into the classic Naked Gun franchise. Together, the team went on to produce a string of successful spoof movies through the early 1980s, but unfortunately parted ways after a time. Their split coincided with the decreasing popularity of spoof movies in the 1990s, with the genre dying out altogether with the diminishing popularity of the Scary Movie franchise throughout the 2000s. Now, David Zucker (alone this time) is hoping to revitalize the genre with his latest film.
THR reports that Zucker is returning the world of spoof movies with his latest film, Star of Malta. Star of Malta is expected to satirize classic noir films, with its plot revolving around the theft of a valuable but cursed gemstone. Zucker is set to pen the script alongside comedy veterans Pat Proft (Police Academy) and Michael McManus, with RainMaker Films (Dallas Buyers Club) producing. Check out the film's synopsis below:
Set in late-1940s America, Malta follows prizefighter Joe Medina, newly released from prison for killing his opponent in the ring, as he pursues his love, Harriet Evans, to Hollywood. Hitchhiking west, he accidentally gains possession of a highly sought-after but cursed gemstone, known as The Star of Malta, and proceeds on an accidental murder spree, leaving a trail of people he never intended to kill.
Zucker and Proft previously worked together on the Naked Gun series, as well as the later entries of the Scary Movie franchise. Star of Malta will mark the first joint project between the two since the release of Scary Movie 5 in 2013. A release window has yet to be confirmed at the time of writing.
Despite Zucker and co.'s acclaimed reputation, they will likely be fighting an uphill battle at the box office. Comedy sensibilities generally evolve quite rapidly over an allotted span of time, especially in the age of social media where platforms like YouTube and TikTok drastically truncate the lifespan of certain jokes and trends. Furthermore, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, moviegoing audiences are much less likely to attend mid-budget comedies, choosing instead to make the trek out solely for tentpole franchise blockbusters. Hopefully, Star of Malta will be able to overcome these hurdles and become the long-awaited return to form for the Zucker name.
Source: THR